Wii U to have ‘Refined’ Friend Codes System

Over the last two console generations Nintendo has been in a clear last place when it comes to online services and interaction. With Nintendo’s clear goal of trying to regain the hardcore audience with the Wii U, it’s not surprise that they plan on beefing up their online component. But exactly how far will they take it?

Nintendo’s been pretty quiet about their Wii U online service, but surprzingly Nintendo UK’s marketing manager Rob Lowe spoke a bit on the subject. He confirmed the use of the friend code system, although says it is more refined than ever before.

“It still exists but in the same way that you’d need to pair up with friends on PSN or Xbox live. Now it’s much closer to that kind of online gaming experience than what it was before.”

Lowe points to the 3DS and its network features as proof that thy are working towards a better online experience. Lowe still says that they have to be considerate not only of what the hardcore gamer wants, but having a more protective online environment for younger players.

The 3DS is definitely an improved system, but could be better. Hopefully overtime Nintendo will continue to update and improve the service, rather than just leaving it as is.

Yes, but most of the actual “big” Multiplayer games are rated m anyways. And if Someone has parents to overprotective to let theme use online, then there probably to over protective to let them play rated m games.

I mean they could always make a parental control option to make it to ware you HAVE to use friend codes when the option is turned on. What there doing here is just screwing over 99.9% of people that want to play online.

To everyone wigging out that “we don’t need to be protected,” you have to understand that Nintendo’s audience is not the same as those of the Xbox and PS. When a parent buys their kid a Nintendo, that parent wants that kid to be able to play online without being harassed, cussed at, and learning all sorts of delightful little racial epithets. You can’t deny that these kinds of things happen online constantly. If you were a parent, would you really want your kid to have online Pokemon battles if it was 99% likely that their opponent would say something incredibly abhorrent and creepy? Probably not.

It’s a precarious position for Nintendo to be in. On the one hand, they need to have online functionality that WORKS. On the other hand, they don’t want to alienate parents by accidentally introducing children to shut-ins who explode into a mushroom cloud of *****ry and death threats just because their virtual army man died one too many times.

I say they just get parental controls like marioyo said above if the parent wants their kid to only play with friends they have to create a party with their friends who they get codes from in real life and if they don’t care then they just turn off parental controls